A Million Little Things and Then Some
by serendipitous-15
Summary: A series of one-shots and ficlets chronicling Tony and Jimmy's friendship in season 8. Part of my Tony and Jimmy friendship series and sequel to 'An Unlikely Friendship' and 'Friendship's Unlikely Turns'.
1. Spiderwebs

**NCIS and its characters belong to Don Bellisario and CBS. I'm just borrowing them.**

_So who totally loved the season premiere? I know I did and all those little hints and questions provide such excellent storylines for future episodes._

_Spoilers: 8x01 'The Spider and the Fly'_

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* * *

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_May_

"Tony! You're back!" cried Abby as she engulfed him in a hug.

"Hey, Abby," he said giving her a tired smile as he returned her hug. "Hey, Jimmy," he said when he noticed the young doctor over Abby's shoulder.

"How was Mexico?"

Tony opened his mouth to answer but spied Director Vance standing atop the balcony. "Hold that thought," he said as he headed up to the director's office followed by Gibbs. The rest of the team, Ducky, Jimmy and Abby shot each other questioning looks before turning all their attention towards the director's office.

xxxxxx

"You know, it wasn't your fault, you didn't know it was a trap," Jimmy said later that night during a pause in the movie.

"If you say so," replied Tony with a noncommittal shrug.

Jimmy frowned; Tony may have outwardly accepted what Jimmy said that it was extremely obvious that he did not believe it for one second.

"What happened to Mike Franks after the shooting?"

"Dunno, after the shooting he was brought to a local hospital where they patched him up, when I dropped by the next morning he wasn't there. I checked with the nurses and they didn't see him leave, found a note though that said he was leaving before they found him."

"Think he's still alive?"

"Knowing Mike Franks I think he's got a 50-50 chance either way."

xxxxxx

_September_

"So, think this is the break we've been waiting for?" asked Jimmy once they had returned to NCIS and the bodies ready and waiting on the autopsy tables.

"I really hope so, Palmer, Gibbs isn't the only one who can't wait for this to be over," he said before turning his attention to his computer. Jimmy headed back to autopsy; the faster they got some answers from their newest guests and the sooner they could find Paloma Reynosa the sooner this ordeal would be over.

xxxxxx

"So it's finally over," jimmy stated over their beers.

"Yup, as we speak the Mexican government is gathering the documents needed to request extradition and all signs point to the government not standing in the way of Mexico's request," Tony said before taking a drink. "You know, I feel kind of bad for the wonder twins."

"Really? Why?"

"Because she was his sister and he killed her. Granted, he did not mean to, he thought she was Gibbs, but he still killed her. Families shouldn't do that," he said thoughtfully before finishing his beer.


	2. Phantoms in the Night

_Spoilers: 8x02 'Worst Nightmare' and general spoilers to 6x25 'Aliyah'_

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* * *

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"What are you doing up here?" asked a confused Tony right after he nearly ran into Jimmy. "Didn't you have a dentist appointment?"

"I did," replied his young friend.

"How was it?"

"Fine," Jimmy replied hurriedly. "Did you know about the interns?" he asked getting to his point.

"Yeah," replied Tony distractedly as he looked for something in the file he was holding. "Director Vance sent out the inter-office email about the students from Waverly University who would be interning for the week two weeks ago, didn't you read it?" he asked finally looking up after he had triumphantly located the piece of paper he needed.

Jimmy thought for a moment. Did he even _get_ the email? He could not recall but he had been getting all inter-office communications since he began working at NCIS so he presumed he had, the real question was did he even read it? He could not recall that either, in the course of a day they were often bombarded with emails sent to the entire building, even though few pertained specifically with autopsy, so Jimmy had developed the habit of deleting emails without opening them, content on reading the subject lines to see if it was anything truly important. Obviously, the email about the interns did not make the cut.

"Not sure."

Tony just nodded absentmindedly as he quickly glanced at the paper at hand. "That still doesn't answer my question," he reminded Jimmy. "What are you doing up here? Shouldn't you be in autopsy?"

"It's getting a bit crowded down there," Jimmy said with a sigh.

"You know, they're only here until Thursday," he told Jimmy. "Now, if you excuse me, Rebecca's still missing and her grandfather just made things complicated."

xxxxxx

"How'd they take it?" asked Jimmy the moment that Tony stepped out of MTAC.

"What are you still doing here?" asked Tony at the same time.

"I told you, autopsy's getting crowded," he replied in response to Tony's question and raised eyebrow.

"They're only here until Thursday, just try to survive until then, okay?" he said before heading down the stairs.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"To the Masons' house," Tony said turning around, "apparently Grandpa Mason has a lockbox in his room, need to go get it."

xxxxxx

Jimmy gave a grateful sigh as he sank into his couch at the end of the day, Rebecca Mason had been found alive and unharmed, she had been reunited with her enormously grateful parents who had been given a couple of days leave in light of their family emergency and best of all, it was the last day for the Waverly interns. Thursday could not have come fast enough. Jimmy was just about to turn on his TV when he heard the knock. When he opened his door, he found Tony on the other side.

"Hey, is this a bad time?"

"No, nothing important going on tonight was just going to watch some TV, that's all," Jimmy, said as he stepped aside to allow Tony into his apartment. Once they were both settled on the couch with snacks and drinks within easy reach Jimmy turned to his friend and got straight to the point. "Not that I mind the company or anything, but what are you doing here anyway?"

"Dunno," Tony said with a shrug, "to talk, to figure things out?"

"Okay, so talk. Why did McGee look so satisfied as he was leaving tonight?"

"Oh, because he got Conrad to sign the NCIS internship application that Gibbs had filled for the kid."

"Wait, didn't you say that Conrad was the one who signed up for the class because he forgot to register for classes and it was the only one that didn't meet on Friday?"

"The one and the same."

"And after spending four days at NCIS he decided to apply for a full internship?" asked Jimmy incredulously.

"Yup. What can I say? All he needed was a push in the right direction."

"Speaking from experience?"

"You could say that."

xxxxxx

"_You're seriously going to not register for this class even though it meets your degree requirement because it meets on Friday night __**two**__ times out of the whole semester?" asked Charlie disbelievingly. "DiNozzo, you are an idiot," she declared as she practically threw the course catalogue at him before storming off muttering darkly in Catalan._

xxxxxx_  
_

"But you didn't come here to talk about Conrad," Jimmy said bluntly.

"So how did the rest of the week go with Sarah Knox?" asked Tony completely ignoring Jimmy's statement.

"Eh," began Jimmy, "it went okay I guess. Doctor Mallard was sad to see her go."

"You that Ducky would never fire you, right?" asked Tony. "He may like Sarah Knox but she's still an undergrad, she still has a lot to learn."

"But—"

"Ducky likes you, Jimmy, why else do you think you're the only assistant he's had since Gerald but he also knows that eventually you're going to have to leave."

"My residency is here in the DC area."

"But what about afterwards?"

Jimmy remained silent, he had not given any thought to life after residency, he was primarily focused on _surviving_ residency first, and anything after that was a distant second.

"Tony, what did you come here to talk about?" asked Jimmy steering the conversation back to the original topic before Tony could distract him any farther. Though he was sure that Tony be willing to listen to whatever Jimmy had to say about Sarah Knox, if he let Tony distract him, the senior field agent would never tell him his reason for coming over.

"Today, when we went to arrest Carmichael I knew that Ziva would be shooting blanks, I just wasn't expecting to be so close when she actually took the shot," Tony said quietly. "Forget it, it's stupid," he said abruptly before picking up his soda.

"It's not stupid," Jimmy, told him. "Ziva's your partner, your teammate but I think that even partners have the right to be a bit shaken up when their partner or teammate has a gun pointed in their direction."

"I just never expected her to point a gun at me, you know, even when I was being annoying and baiting her at every turn when she was first assigned to our team but then Israel changed all that."

"Yeah, I know," Jimmy, answered quietly.


	3. Poster Boy

_Spoilers: 8x03 'Short Fuse'_

_Because who didn't enjoy the whole subplot with Tony being the poster boy for NCIS?_

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* * *

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"You didn't tell me that you were picked to be on the cover of the recruiting brochures," Jimmy commented as Tony helped him wheel the gurney into Heather Dempsey's townhouse.

"It's not really that big of a deal," Tony replied quickly.

"So how's the whole photo shoot thing going?"

"Is this good?" asked Tony once they got the gurney into the living room.

"Yes, thank you, Tony," Ducky replied from his position at the head of the body.

"Great, gonna check upstairs," Tony said over his shoulder as he exited the room without answering Jimmy's question.

xxxxxx

"Doctor Mallard, I believe that I—oh hi, Tony," said a surprised Jimmy as he looked up from the autopsy table where he was finishing stitching up their latest guest.

"Jimmy," greeted Tony with a nod of his head.

"Um, not that I mind the company but what are you doing here? We'd don't have an ID yet, Abby's trying to narrow it down via old transplant lists."

"I'm hiding."

"From Ziva?" guessed Jimmy.

"No."

"From Agent Gibbs?"

"No," Tony replied for a second time.

"Then from who?" asked Jimmy giving up.

"From Ron."

"The guy doing the brochure cover photo shoot?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Tony, why are you hiding from Ron and the photographer?"

"Because Abby's lab is out of the question, so is MTAC, and the evidence garage is full," he replied before ducking into the linen closet.

xxxxxx

"Disappointed?" asked Jimmy while they were relaxing in Tony's living room after work.

Tony thought for a moment before speaking. "Not as much as I thought I would be," he replied before taking a bite of Moo Goo Gai Pan.

"Did you like any of the pictures Ron took?"

"They were okay but nothing really jumped out at me, guess photo shoots aren't all they're cracked up to be," he replied with a nonchalant shrug.

"Hey, whatever happened to the cardboard cutout of you?" asked Jimmy before taking a dumpling from the container.

"That is a very good question, Jimmy."


	4. Mystery Pen Pal

_Spoilers: 8x04 "Royals and Loyals" _

* * *

"You know, you're the one who suggested the _I Love Lucy _marathon," Jimmy reminded his friend after catching Tony staring at the screen but not really seeing it for the umpteenth time.

"Sorry, I've been a little—"

"Distracted?" supplied Jimmy.

"Yeah," Tony replied sheepishly, "sorry."

"Okay, so what's on your mind?" ask Jimmy giving Tony his full attention.

"Do you know who Ziva's been emailing?"

"Nope and even if I did I wouldn't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because I like being alive and if Ziva found out that I told you then she would most certainly kill me."

Ziva wouldn't kill you," Tony protested. "Okay, maybe she would," he amended after seeing Jimmy's look.

"Tony, Ziva's a grown woman, I can assure you that she, out of everyone, can take care of herself and if this mystery person is a new boyfriend I think we can both agree that if he hurts her there will be nothing left of him for anyone else."

"I guess."

"And don't ask Abby to help you break into her email either because she won't help you, no matter how charming you are."

"Okay, fine."

"And no, Doctor Mallard doesn't know who this mystery person is either."

"Covering all the bases I see."

"Don't call tech support, they know who's computer it is," Jimmy reminded Tony. "Okay, now all the bases are covered."


	5. A Case of Laryngitis

_Spoilers: 8x05 'Dead Air', general spoilers to 2x22 'SWAK'_

_CODA: short for Child of Deaf Adult, refers to a hearing child raised by a deaf parent or guardian._

_ASL: American Sign Language  
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* * *

_

"Hey, Jimmy," croaked Tony upon entering autopsy.

"I thought Dr. Mallard told you to rest your voice for the next 24 hours," Jimmy replied without looking up from the microscope.

"He did," Tony replied.

"Then you should take his advice," Jimmy said as he wrote down his findings in the file. "Besides, hasn't Abby been bugging you to use ASL on a more regular basis?" he asked referring to the lessons in ASL that Abby had started to give Tony during his bout with pneumonic plague.

Tony made a face before clumsily signing _'she did'_.

"Well, it looks like she had good reason to bug you, you're out of practice," Jimmy observed.

'_You won't tell her, will you?'_

"No, I won't tell her but you better brush up on your skills quick, Ziva's already told Abby about Dr. Mallard's orders for you and apparently she can't wait for you to show up in her lab so that you two can sign," an amused Jimmy told Tony.

'_How do you know ASL anyway?'_

'_Heather,'_ Jimmy signed referring to his long-time medical school friend and fellow resident, though she was not doing forensic pathology, she was doing an emergency medicine residency. _'She's a CODA like Abby and also volunteers as an ASL interpreter for the hospital when there isn't one available.'_

'_I didn't know that.'_

'_Heather's full of surprises,' _Jimmy signed back in reply. "Come on, I think there's some chamomile tea in Dr. Mallard's office," Jimmy said switching back to talking. "It'll help, you're going to need that voice of yours if you still plan on coaching the little league team this weekend," he reminded his friend. A couple of years ago Tony had started helping a little league team out of Alexandria and whenever he had a free weekend he would volunteer to help coach, much to delight of the children, parents and coach alike.

Tony's eyebrows shot up, he had totally forgotten the promise he had made to the team weeks ago. "Crap," he squeaked.

"Hey, no talking!" Jimmy called from Ducky's office.

'_Sorry'_, a sheepish Tony signed before he accepted the steaming cup of chamomile tea.


	6. Disco Fever

_Spoilers: 8x6 'Cracked'_

_Jimmy's exact age is not known but my guess is that he is 25/26 since he would have graduated from college when he was either 21/22 and then assuming he went immediately to medical school he would have graduated at 25/26, the age he'd start his residency._

_Carlos' burrito cart on the corner of 17th and K Street NW refers to a real person, Carlos Gaurdado, an immigrant from El Salvador who ran a food cart in Farragut Square for nearly 20 years until he died expectantly earlier this month from a heart attack. He was 48. Article about him from Washington Post here: __www[dot]washingtonpost[dot]com / wp-dyn / content / article / 2010 / 10 / 06 / AR2010100607228[dot]html?sid=ST2010100607608 (obviously without the spaces and insert the dots, sorry, it's the only way FFN will let me post an internet address)._

* * *

_October 8_

"Hey Tony, you doing anything October 29?" asked Jimmy as they walked back from their lunch breaks.

"Um, not that I know of, why?"

"Breena's throwing a Halloween party and she wanted to know if you wanted to come."

"Jimmy, I hate Halloween," Tony reminded him, Halloween stopped being fun his first Halloween out of the academy.

"It's just a party."

"Not that big of a fan of Halloween parties either." The only person at NCIS who had ever managed to convince Tony to go to a Halloween party was Abby; it was his one and only time to attend a party in a cemetery.

The two men stopped briefly, in front of what had been, until this week, Carlos' burrito cart on the corner of 17th and K Street NW, now it was a makeshift memorial to the man who had been a fixture in Farragut Square for almost 20 years. After paying their respects, they continued on their journey before Jimmy finally broke the silence.

"Just think about it, okay?"

"Fine," Tony replied exasperated.

xxxxxx

_October 25_

"You seem chipper today," observed Jimmy. They were outside during their lunch break enjoying the last couple of days of warm weather left before the cooler weather of fall was finally ushered in.

"I am," Tony replied with a smile.

"What's her name and can I meet her?"

"What makes you think that there's a her?"

"Because it's you," Jimmy deadpanned.

Tony opened his mouth but then immediately closed it; Jimmy did have a valid point.

"Her name's Ethel and as for meeting her, I'll see if she wants to come to this party Breena's throwing this Friday."

"I can't wait to meet her and I bet Breena would love to meet her too," Jimmy replied with a smile.

xxxxxx

_October 27_

"Who are you supposed to be?" asked Jimmy stopping dead in his tracks when he saw his friend get off the elevator.

"Oh come on, _Saturday Night Fever_," he said. "I'm Tony Maero," he continued in his horrible attempt at a Brooklyn accent.

"Tony, that movie came out nearly a decade before I was born."

"Yeah, don't remind me," he grumbled under his breath, it sucked to be reminded of the age difference between him and Jimmy mostly because it usually ended with Tony feeling old.

"Why are you dressed like that?"

"There's a Halloween party at Ethel's job, it's a costume party," he explained as Jimmy walked with him to the parking lot.

"Ah, okay. Tony, you're not wearing that to Breena's party."

"Isn't Breena's party a costume party too?"

"Yes, but you're not wearing that."

"Then what am I supposed to wear, Jimmy?"

"I will find you another costume, just not that."


	7. Fathers and Sons

_Spoilers: 8x07 'Broken Arrow'_

_Any recognizable dialogue comes from the episode.  
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* * *

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"So what's your father doing in DC?" asked Jimmy as soon as he came upon Tony in the evidence garage, effectively stopping his friend's pacing.

"I don't know," Tony answered after he took a seat on the ground.

"Well, have you talked to him?"

"No."

"Tony, when was the last time you talked to your father?"

"I don't know, a couple of months ago," Tony answered. Jimmy frowned slightly but thankfully, Tony was too preoccupied with trying to keep his thoughts under control to notice Jimmy's expression.

"You're going to have to talk to him, you know," Jimmy reminded his friend.

"I know," Tony sighed, letting his head fall gently against the wall.

xxxxxx

"So?" asked Jimmy looking at Tony expectantly once they were finally able to meet in the evidence garage.

"The mission was a success," Tony stated.

"That's good, right? I mean, the recovery of a broken arrow is good, right?"

"Sure."

"You don't sound too pleased," Jimmy observed.

"I am," Tony reassured Jimmy.

"But…"

"My father ran up a $9,000 tab on NCIS' dime."

"Ouch."

"That's my father for you," Tony stated with a resigned sigh.

"What now?" asked Jimmy curious to see if the latest encounter between father and son had dashed all hopes of eventual reconciliation.

"I don't know," Tony said from his spot on the floor of the evidence garage.

"You talk to your father yet?" asked Jimmy from his spot on the floor.

"No."

"Tony, you should talk to your father."

"I know that!" snapped Tony. "Sorry," he immediately said when he caught Jimmy's half-bemused look.

"It's just…" Jimmy looked at Tony expectantly after Tony did not continue immediately. "He wasn't always like this, my father, I mean."

"Oh?" That was news to Jimmy, granted the story he got was definitely one-sided seeing as except for the few quick encounters he had had with DiNozzo Sr. all Jimmy knew about the man was what Tony said or implied.

"We talked, like really talked when my mom was alive. Before it went bad I think that my mom and I were his world, or at least I like to think so, I do not know I was just a kid then. Maybe I was just stupid, maybe he was always like this," Tony finished sadly.

"Tony, I don't know if your father was always the man is he today or not but I do know this, regardless of the father he was during your childhood the only thing you can do is decide if can you accept father you have."

Hours later after Jimmy entered his apartment after his day at work he dialed an all too familiar number as he warmed up his leftovers on the stovetop.

"_Hello?"_

"Hi, Dad."

"_Jimmy, is everything okay?" asked his father immediately concerned; after all, he had just called home just last week._

"Everything's okay, Dad, I just wanted to talk."

"_Sure, Jimmy, did you see that game last night?"_

"I did, can you believe that call? I mean, come on..."


	8. Levity and Gravity

_Spoilers: 8x08 'Enemies Foreign', 8x09 'Enemies Domestic'_

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* * *

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"So what do you think of Liat?" asked Tony once he managed to catch Jimmy on his own.

"Don't have much of an opinion on her, I haven't really seen her, you have," Jimmy reminded his friend.

"Oh yeah, forgot about that part."

"What do you think of her?"

"She's definitely hot, sensual, reminds me of Ziva when she first arrived."

"You didn't like Ziva then," Jimmy reminded him absentmindedly.

"Did too," Tony replied.

"No," Jimmy corrected him, "you found her hot, provocative, and sensual but you definitely didn't like her; you couldn't wait for her to leave, remember?"

"Weren't we talking about the new Israelis?"

"Yes."

"So how did we get here again?"

"I have no idea."

xxxxx

"Do you know why Ziva's father's here?" asked Jimmy after Tony stepped into the elevator.

"For an NCIS conference with Vance and a whole bunch of former agents and directors past and present."

"So how's Ziva taking it, especially now that he's missing?" asked Jimmy.

"Like Ziva."

"Meaning…"

"Meaning that she's acting cool and professional, exactly as she was trained to be," Tony replied.

Suddenly the elevator was thrown into darkness as the emergency brake button was pushed and the emergency lights flickered to life.

"What the hell?" asked a surprised Tony as he whipped his head to stare at Jimmy baffled.

"You should talk to Ziva," Jimmy said seriously.

"What? Why?" asked Tony suspiciously.

Jimmy just stared at him with a _'you know why'_ look.

"It's not the same thing, Jimmy," Tony began. "My father may not have been the greatest father, or even a decent one—"

"I know."

"—but he _never_ assumed I was dead without proof," Tony finished bitterly having not noticed Jimmy's interruption.

"I know," Jimmy repeatedly quietly. When Tony did not answer him Jimmy went to bring the elevator back online but before he could Tony spoke up.

"Wait," he said quietly and Jimmy looked at him with interest. Tony sighed. "I'll do it...I'll talk to her," he said just as quietly.


	9. Troubled Waters

_Spoilers: 6x08 'Dagger', 8x10 'False Witness'_

_Any recognizable dialogue comes for 8x10 'False Witness'._

_Sorry about the wait but the holidays were quite busy plus I just started a new job recently and spent two weeks training for it too on top of all the holiday stuff. Well, I hope that you all had a wonderful and safe New Year's, here's to 2011._

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"Hey Tony, busy?" asks Jimmy from his spot in front of Tony's desk.

"Well, we are in the middle of a case, Jimmy," replies Tony without looking up from the fillies he was reading so he did not see the looks the McGee and Ziva were shooting Jimmy.

"Too busy for lunch?"

Tony paused, looked at his watch and was surprised to see that lunch had arrived already. "I could do with lunch," he finally concedes.

"Good," replies Jimmy just a bit too brightly but goes unnoticed by Tony."I'm buying."

"Think Jimmy will get to the bottom of this?" asks McGee once the pair are safely out of hearing distance.

"It is worth a shot," Ziva replies before she too grabs her coat and joins McGee at the elevator.

xxxxxx

"You okay, Tony?"

"Fine, Jimmy, why do you ask?"

"Well, it's just that you're usually a lot chattier at lunch."

"I'm fine, really."

"Okay. So talked to Jerry yet?" asks Jimmy switching topics, Tony will talk when he is ready, Jimmy is sure of that.

"Nope, Abby actually warned me to stay away from him."

"Really, why is that?"

"No idea, perhaps to has to do with what the Deputy District Attorney Walsh said, she told us that Jerry was the only child of two psychologists."

"Yeah, that could have something to do with it."

xxxxxx

"What did you tell him?" asks Tony as he watches Jimmy quickly wipe his eyes as he heads towards autopsy.

"Nothing he already didn't know," Jerry replies. "The anniversary of her death is coming up; there are still some unresolved issues there."

"Come on," says Gibbs as he breezes past the pair with his ever present coffee.

"Don't forget," Jerry reminds Tony before following Gibbs up the stairs.

Tony nods, his talk with Jerry was informative as well as slightly therapeutic and after his talk with Ziva he was much more receptive to what Jerry had to say.

"Why is Jerry still here?"

"He wanted to thank Gibbs personally."

"So, uh, Gibbs tell the DA about Matthew Gray?

"Yeah, he's willing to drop the witness intimidation charge if Gray pleads guilty to the weapons charge, he won't do any time."

"Looks like you're going to have to have another talk with him."

"Mm hm," Ziva replies staring at Tony before heading to her desk.

Tony fights to keep a straight face as she turns on her computer. Oh yeah, he definitely wouldn't forget.


	10. Black Thumb

_Sorry that I have been MIA for so long; my head's been in some pretty miserable head space for the past two months, which didn't help the creative process at all. Hopefully I'll be out of the situation that's caused me so much grief soon though. _

_Spoilers: 8x13 'Freedom'_

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"Well, at least now I know why there are no plants in your apartment," Tony commented once they were back at NCIS.

"What?" asked Jimmy too distracted by what he was doing to pay full attention to what Tony was saying to him.

"Black thumb," Tony replied looking at him meaningfully.

"Oh that," Jimmy said as recognition dawned on him.

"Yes, that."

"So are you really _that_ bad at gardening?"

"You have no idea," Jimmy said.

"Then I should be surprised that the plant you got me was still alive when I got to my place?" asked Tony. "It's been doing great since I moved it to the living room by the way."

"Well, no."

"Why not?"

"Because I brought the plant that morning."

The swish of the doors alerted the two friends to the appearance of Ducky.

"Ah, Tony, Jethro is looking for you. Mr. Palmer, is Sergeant Wooten all ready?" asked Ducky.

"Talk to you later, Palmer," Tony called as he headed out of autopsy.


	11. You Can Be More

_So I absolutely loved 'A Man Walks Into A Bar', it's definitely one of my favorite episodes ever. It reminded me of how much I actually enjoyed the character of Kate and how much I liked the sibling-like relationship she had with Tony._

_Spoilers: General spoilers to all of season 4, 8x14 'A Man Walks Into A Bar'_

_Any recognizable dialogue comes from episode 8x14  
_

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"Oh sorry Doctor, I didn't know you had company. It's not important, I can come back later."

"You're not interrupting anything, Mr. Palmer, in fact, there is someone who I would like you to meet," Ducky replied gesturing for his young assistant to come in. "Doctor Cranston," he said addressing the woman standing next to him, "this is my assistant Jimmy Palmer. Mr. Palmer graduated from medical school last year and is in his first year of residency."

"Congratulations, that is quite the accomplishment," Doctor Cranston said.

"Thank you."

"Doctor Cranston is here doing the mandatory psychological evaluations," Ducky explained.

"Oh, then shouldn't you be in one of the conference rooms or an empty office with the in house psych team?" asked Jimmy confused.

"I promised Director Vance that my presence would not detract from ongoing cases; besides, I enjoy seeing everyone in their normal work environment, it gives me a better feel for them," she explained.

"Oh, okay."

"Actually, you have very good timing, Doctor Palmer, I was hoping that I would get a chance to talk with you but I wasn't sure that I would since Doctor Mallard told me that you changed your hours here to accommodate your residency program."

"Commander Reynolds is fine for the moment so I shall leave you two alone for a bit," Ducky said, "I do believe Agent Balboa wanted to discuss some of my findings with him," he continued before grabbing the top folder from a stack situated in the center of his desk.

"You don't have to call me Doctor Palmer, Jimmy is fine," Ducky heard his protégé telling the good doctor as he waited for the elevator.

"And if you want, you can call me Rachel. So Jimmy, you've been working as Doctor Mallard's assistant for almost seven years, correct?"

xxxxxx

"So want to talk about it?" asked Jimmy after they had been sitting in almost complete silence with only the low background noise of the television as a distraction for almost half an hour in Tony's living room.

Tonight they were hanging out at Tony's townhouse and it was Jimmy's turn to bring the food. Tony had been silent throughout dinner and distracted while they were watching the game in his living room afterward.

"I'm a good agent, a really good one," Tony said quietly echoing what he told Doctor Cranston earlier.

"I know that," Jimmy reassured him. "But…"

"…I can be more."

"No one said you couldn't."

"Commander Reynolds' whole life was the Navy and then he was going to lose it all just like that when he hit mandatory retirement. I don't want that to happen to me," Tony said firmly.

"Then don't. Tony, you are not Commander Reynolds. You are a great godfather to Angela's kids. You have friends that are not even connected to law enforcement or the military in anyway. Despite being dedicated to the point of being married to your job you actually have a life outside of NCIS," Jimmy told him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That there's dedication and then there's _dedication_. Sometimes you lack balance. You should actually take the vacation days you have; go see Angela, Will and the kids more, they live closer now; go to England and spend time with your family; stop running away."

"Okay, what's with the last one?"

"Tony, how much of Professor DiNardo was actually you? Be honest."

"Pretty much everything."

"And were you happy with Jeanne?"

"Yeah, I was," Tony replied wistfully.

"Why?"

"Because I could be myself around her, sure she didn't know what I really did for a living or even my real name but she knew _me_."

"That's what I meant."

"I still have no idea what you're talking about, Jimmy."

"You told me once Jeanne was the first woman you really wanted to have a future with and I told you that you'd get another chance. You would find someone else that you really want to have a future with and she wouldn't ask you to choose but how will you find her if you never let anyone get as close as Jeanne again? "

"It sounds like you've been talking with Doctor Cranston."

"You should listen to her, it sounds like she knows what she's talking about."

"Yeah, Jimmy, it does."


	12. Trypanophobia

_Spoilers: 8x15 'Defiance', general spoilers to 2x22 'SWAK'_

_Trypanophobia: extreme e fear of medical procedures involving injections or hypodermic needles_

_Central line: a catheter (tube) that is passed through a vein to end up in the thoracic (chest) portion of the vena cava or into the right atrium of the heart. A central line can allow for the administration of medications and fluids in more concentrated amounts with less risk for complications, obtain blood tests, directly obtain cardiovascular measurements, and can be used to save the patient from having multiple drips placed in in his or her arms._

_

* * *

_

"Hey, Abby."

"Jimmy, are you going to the blood drive?"

"I'm actually on my way there right now, why?"

"Just making sure that everyone from Team Gibbs is participating, that's all," Abby said as she fell in step with Jimmy, accompanying him to the blood drive.

"Abby, Doctor Mallard, you and I really aren't part of Team Gibbs," Jimmy reminded her.

"I know that we're not official members, Jimmy, but we're definitely honorary ones," she replied with a bright smile.

"So how are we doing then?"

"Well, Gibbs, Ziva, McGee, you, Ducky and me," she said as she spotted the congenial Scottish medical examiner waiting in line, "so the only one missing is Tony. You haven't seen him, have you?"

"Nope, not since yesterday," Jimmy answered.

"Hm, it's the second day that he's missed the blood drive," she said with a frown. "Do you know where he is?"

"Uh, probably up in the squad room."

"Thanks Jimmy!"

xxxxxx

"So did you find Tony?" asked Jimmy after he gave Abby the evidence.

"Yup."

"So did he go to the blood drive?"

"No, he's going to miss out this year _again_."

"Hasn't Tony missed the annual blood drive for the past six years?"

"Yeah, he has so this time I asked him why he keeps missing out."

"What did he say?"

"That ever since the plague he's had a fear of needles."

"Well, can you blame him? I mean when he was in the hospital he had so many intravenous medications and so much blood drawn for blood work that they actually put in a central line and even once he got released he kept on having blood tests pretty regularly for the next couple of months."

"True, but I know for a fact that Tony used to give for the annual blood drive before he got the plague."

"Well, maybe he'll get over his fear of needles eventually, maybe he just needs more time for the unpleasant memories to fade."

"Maybe…"

xxxxxx

"You gave blood?" asked a surprised Jimmy when he saw the 'I donated' sticker on Tony's suit jacket.

"Yup," responded Tony proudly.

"I thought you were doing your best to avoid needles."

"I was."

"Then how did Abby get you to donate blood?" asked a curious Jimmy.

"Abby's very creative."

"Really, does her creativity have anything to do with the new Red Cross nurses, Samantha, who came to the blood drive today?" asked Jimmy with an amused grin.


	13. Chanel

_Spoilers: 8x16 'Kill Screen'_

_

* * *

_

"So what's the story?" asked Tony the minute they were back at NCIS.

"What story?" asked Jimmy distractedly as he grabs the necessary paperwork and tools for the autopsy.

"Well, it's not every day that I learn that one of my friends is so familiar with Chanel purses that he can tell the counterfeit ones from the real ones."

"Oh, _that_ story," said Jimmy as realization dawned on him. He _really_ needed to work on learning some self-restraint when it comes to volunteering certain bits of information.

"Yes, _that_ story. So what's the deal, Palmer? Spill."

Before Jimmy could answer the doors to autopsy opened revealing Ducky.

"Oh good, you've got everything ready. Well, let's begin, Mr. Palmer," Ducky said as he walked towards the linen closet to get a gown.

"Later, okay?"

"Fine, but don't think I'll forget, Jimmy," Tony replied before leaving autopsy.

...

"It's later," Tony said at the end of the day after they had closed the case.

"What?"

"You said that you'd share the story later, well, it's later," Tony said in a matter of fact tone of voice as they headed towards the entrance of NCIS.

"There's really not much to tell."

"Okay, but I still want to know."

"It's all because of one of my ex-girlfriends in college, she was obsessed with Chanel."

"I thought you dated Sarah Nolan in college."

"Jessica was before Sarah."

"You guys serious?" asked Tony. By then they had reached their respective cars, which, coincidentally, were parked right next to each other.

"Not really," Jimmy replied with a shrug. "I mean, I liked her well enough but we were only together for a couple of months. In the end, we just didn't click."

"So just how obsessed was Jessica with Chanel?"

"Her hallway closet was completely full of Chanel bags, accessories and shoes. The amount of Chanel that she owned, both real and fake, was overwhelming. "


	14. Something About Her

_Spoilers: 8x17 'One Last Score'_

* * *

"You meet Agent Barrett yet?" asked Tony.

"Nope, been here all day," Jimmy replied as he filed some of the paperwork for Oliver Froman. "Why?"

"Just wondering," Tony answered with a small shrug.

Jimmy raised an eyebrow at that. "What's got you so intrigued?"

The ringing of Tony's cell phone interrupted them. "DiNozzo…okay, be right there." He turned to Jimmy. "I've got to go inventory all of Leona Phelps' belongings. See ya, Jimmy!"

...

"You ever been to Spain, Jimmy?"

"Here's your sandwich," Jimmy said handing him the sub Tony asked him to get. "I visited Madrid when I was in France. Why?"

"Agent Barrett, EJ, was transferred from Spain."

"You don't say; what part?"

"Rota."

Jimmy hid his surprised look by taking a bite from his own sub. Other than that night at the bar, Tony has never mentioned Rota or the team offered to him by Director Shepard so directly or ever really. Jimmy always suspected that part of Tony has always regretted passing up such an opportunity, by that point he had worked for almost five year for Gibbs and he had even led the MCRT for four months and no one could deny that he more than measured up in that respect. Another agent would have immediately jumped at the chance to be a team leader; it was only natural. Now Tony was confronted with the "what might have been" in the form of one EJ Barrett.

"Does she know?"

"No," replied Tony after a beat.

"Are you going to tell her?"

...

"Oh sorry, I was looking for Doctor Mallard," a female voice said from the entrance of autopsy causing Jimmy to turn around.

"I'm Doctor Palmer, but you can call me Jimmy," Jimmy said, it was still weird to think that he was a doctor now and he still was not used to people referring to him as one. "I work with Doctor Mallard; he's not here right now, he went to go have a word with Agent Balboa. Can I help you with something?"

"EJ Barrett," EJ replied holing out her hand. "I just transferred from Rota, Spain and the local medical examiner was going to email some files over to Doctor Mallard for him to look over for a case my team is working on."

"Well, welcome Agent Barrett, is your team here too?" asked Jimmy as he headed towards the computer in autopsy.

"Thank you and no, they're finishing up a couple of things in Rota, should be here by the end of next week though."

"Okay, so it looks like the local medical examiner emailed those files you wanted to Doctor Mallard," Jimmy said after accessing the doctor's NCIS email account, "but there's a problem."

"What's the problem?" she asked as she looked over his shoulder.

"How's your Spanish reading comprehension?"

"It's good but not great, my agents are better so I have them reread the technical reports like medical examiner reports to make sure that I haven't missed anything."

"Well, Doctor Mallard maybe able to help you if you're willing to wait otherwise you can try the linguists in the intelligence department or try someone upstairs in the bullpen. Both Agents DiNozzo and David speak and read Spanish."

"DiNozzo knows Spanish? No wonder he was offered Rota," EJ said almost to herself. She looked up and was surprised to see Jimmy, almost as if she had forgotten he was there. "Could you forward that to me? I think that I'll try someone upstairs."

"Sure thing," Jimmy said. "Okay, it should be waiting for you upstairs," he replied turning to face her.

"Thanks, Jimmy," she said with a smile.

"You're welcome," he smiled in return. "It was nice meeting you, Agent Barrett."

"Same to you, Jimmy," EJ said before walking out of autopsy.

...

"_Good night?" asked Jimmy after observing Tony's buoyant mood. They were meeting at a local café for lunch._

"_You could say that," Tony replied cryptically._

"_And what or rather who is responsible for your good mood?"_

"_Agent Barrett is one fascinating woman."_

_..._

Jimmy chuckled as he returned to work. Tony was right; EJ Barrett was definitely one fascinating woman.


	15. Love and Marriage

_Spoilers: 8x19 'Tell-All', general spoilers to season four_

_So last night's episode was awesome! I totally loved it and can't wait to start working out something for it._

* * *

Jimmy shook his head with a happy smile on his face before putting his phone away. Breena had just texted him the location of their date, it was the new restaurant that she had been wanting to try for weeks. Jimmy was not too keen about Ethiopian food, the last two times he tried some turned out to be bad experiences, but Breena was very adamant about trying the new restaurant so Jimmy agreed.

"You know, Gibbs is right, you should marry her," a voice said from the now open elevator doors. Jimmy looked up to see Tony.

"What makes you think that?" asked Jimmy as he stepped into the elevator.

"For multiple reasons, Jimmy; for one thing she's an embalmer so she's not at all freaked out about what you do, two it's been about a year and you're pretty serious with her and last but not least every time you talk about her, she calls you or texts you, you get this look on your face."

"What look is that, Tony?"

"This stupidly happy grin on your face, the one that says that you have fallen head over heels for her," Tony said with a smirk. "I think it's good, you're _happy_, like really happy and that's good," Tony finished with a smile.

"Thanks, Tony," Jimmy replied with a genuine smile. "What about you and Agent Barrett?"

The pair stopped in front of one of their favorite food trucks; it was near the Navy Yard for lunch today, once they were seated, Tony turned to answer his friend. Things with EJ, Erica Jane Barrett, were great, wonderful even, but Tony was not sure how much of that he wanted to share with Jimmy. It was not that he did not trust Jimmy to keep quiet, he did, but he _liked_ EJ, he could see this turning into something more serious but if Tony was honest with himself, something he rarely was in the past but found himself doing more and more in the present, he had to admit that he was not sure how much of his budding relationship with EJ he wanted to share with anyone.

"What about us, Jimmy?" asked Tony cautiously.

"It's just that you seem content, happy even, and if she's the cause of that, which I'm sure she is, then I'm happy for you. It's been far too long." Jeanne was not mentioned but her relationship with Tony, her effect on him, and her presence hung in the air between them.

"I _am_ happy," Tony reassured him. "I understand her and she understands me, it works."

"Then that's good," Jimmy replied with a small nod. "Like I told you, Tony, it's been too long."

"Yeah, Jimmy," Tony murmured in agreement but to which statement Jimmy was not sure, probably both. "Come on, we've got a killer to catch." The two men threw away their trash before heading back towards the Navy Yard all the while discussing their latest case and the possible meaning of 'birdsong'.


	16. Meetings, Clandestine and Open

_Spoilers: 8x20 'Two-Faced'_

* * *

Tony stood unobtrusively in a corner facing the evidence garage techs but not really seeing what they were doing, he was too busy thinking about the case and how things just got more complicated with EJ now taking the lead. The evidence garage technicians, for their part, took little notice of the tall senior field agent outside of looking up with interest when they saw him wander to their corner but when it became clear that Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo was not there to get an update or chitchat the techs returned to their work. By now the technicians in the evidence garage had grown used to seeing the field agent come to the garage and then tuck himself into a corner out of their way soon Doctor Mallard's assistant would appear, perhaps with coffee, and the two men would discuss whatever it was they discussed when they came down to the garage in low tones, barely audible above the noise the various machines made. The men rarely made trouble so the techs let them be, in the nearly four years since this odd ritual had started the techs could count on one hand the numbers of times their presence actually caused problems so as long they remained out of the way they were welcome to use the garage for their clandestine meetings. Sure enough about ten minutes after field agent arrived, the elderly M.E.'s assistant appeared with two cups from a nearby café. Ah, so it was going one of _those_ sessions.

"So I hear that Agent Barrett is taking the lead on this one," Jimmy said handing Tony his cup of Jamaican mocha made just the way he liked it.

"You heard right, Palmer," Tony replied accepting the offered coffee. He had no idea how Jimmy knew but he always seemed to know when one of their conversations required coffee or other appropriate beverages thinking back to the time two years ago when Jimmy "borrowed" Ducky's flask. In truth, Tony rather liked not knowing, it was always a pleasant surprise when Jimmy appeared with drinks for their meetings.

"Penny for your thoughts," the young doctor prompted.

"At least now I know why her entire team is being transferred from Rota. Gibbs isn't happy but then again Gibbs is never truly happy when he has to share lead or not be the lead in a case he thinks he should be. I definitely remember him not being happy about sharing back in Baltimore."

"And what about you?" asked Jimmy looking his friend in the eye.

"Well, it is definitely…weird. I proposed that we end things earlier to, you know, make things less complicated."

"And are you?" asked Jimmy genuinely curious. Tony seemed happen with her, and it has been awhile since he has seen his friend happy.

"Nope, we're having dinner tonight," Tony said with a small smile.

...

"So how was your night with Agent Barrett?" asked Jimmy once he managed to track down Tony in the squad room. Tony and Ziva had just returned to the Navy Yard after their after work drinks were interrupted by the discovery of an eyeball in Tony's gin and tonic. A smile told Jimmy all he needed to know.

"You know, you can call her EJ. Agent Barrett sounds kind of formal."

"I guess you could say that I'm still getting used to seeing her around the building," Jimmy replied with a shrug.

"Well, she might be hanging around longer even after her and her team finally wraps up the Port-to-Port Killer case so you'll have plenty of time to get used to her."

"She wants to stay?" asked Jimmy surprised. He assumed that once the case was closed she would return to Rota along with her team.

"She certainly hinted strongly at that idea," Tony replied thinking back to their conversation in the elevator.

"You okay with that?"

"I certainly could get used to seeing her around," Tony said looking at his computer screen but Jimmy saw the small smile that graced his face when his friend thought about the idea of EJ potentially staying in DC permanently.

Jimmy glanced over at Agent Gibbs' desk unsure of how to start this conversation. "So, does Agent Gibbs know?"

"Does Gibbs know what?" asked Tony as he typed away.

"That you're seeing Agent Barrett, EJ, I mean."

"It's Gibbs," Tony replied simply as if that explained everything. It did. "EJ doesn't seem intimidated by Gibbs," Tony said conversationally turning to face Jimmy.

"You believe her?" asked Jimmy who was currently resting his head and arms on top of the partition of Tony's cubicle.

"Honestly? Yeah, I do."


	17. A Storm's A Brewin'

_Spoilers: 8x21 'Dead Reflection'_

_The American Journal of Ophthalmology is a real science/medical peer-reviewed journal._

_For those of you who will be celebrating or observing Easter this weekend I hope that you have a good Easter._

* * *

"I didn't get a headslap," Tony revealed after the two men had been standing inconspicuously in a corner of the evidence garage for a full five minutes. Jimmy raised an eyebrow at that; it was a well-established fact that Agent Gibbs would sometimes use headslaps on his team in order to get them to refocus their attention to where it was needed. Often times Tony was the recipient of such treatment, Tony told him once that he saw such headslaps as a form of affection; Jimmy thought that it was a very odd way to show affection.

"Were you expecting one?" he asked.

"Well yeah, I was kind of distracted by EJ…and her team," he admitted sheepishly.

"So why do you think you didn't get one?"

"I don't know but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with me seeing EJ, I do know that Gibbs read her the riot act the other day."

"What are you going to do?" asked Jimmy, all he got in return was silence from Tony.

...

"How was your talk with Gibbs?" asked Jimmy the following day, which found them once again in their corner of the evidence garage.

"What makes you think I talked with Gibbs last night?" asked Tony who was currently fixated on peeling off the label to his water bottle in one go.

"Because I know you," Jimmy replied before snatching the empty water bottle out of Tony's grasp.

"Hey!" The indignant reply and cross look from his friend were not unexpected but Jimmy did not budge; now that Tony had nothing to distract him, he would answer the question…eventually. Jimmy could only hope that the answer would come sooner rather than later, lunch was almost over.

"Well, he's definitely pissed that I'm seeing EJ," Tony answered thoughtfully. "He pretty much wants me to stop seeing her. I reminded him that NCIS has no fraternization policy and that there are married agents, just look at Noor and Aamir Khan," Tony said referring to the last NCIS two field agents to get married, "he reminded me of rule twelve and how it works on Team Gibbs. I told him that I wasn't distracted, he doesn't seem to believe me."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Well, we never got to finish our conversation, guess I'll just have to show up with some bourbon again after we figure out what's going on with the Donner case, maybe then we can finish our conversation then," Tony replied with a shrug before taking back his empty water bottle.

"What about you an EJ?" asked Jimmy grabbing the water bottle back.

""What about us?"

"Are you going to stop seeing her?"

"No," Tony replied before taking back his water bottle and tossing it into the recycling bin.

...

"Where do you want to start?" asked Jimmy. Across from him sat Agent Barrett and in-between them was a sizable stack of medical books and printouts from the _American Journal of Ophthalmology._

"How about we start with the basics like simple anatomy first, is that okay?"

"Sure," Jimmy replied before picking a particular textbook and flipping to the correct chapter. "Agent Barrett, can I ask you a question?"

"You can call me EJ," she reminded him, "and yes, what's on your mind?"

"Okay, EJ, it's just that, um, well…things between you and Tony are good right now, right?"

"I didn't realize that my relationship with Tony was fair game for everyone at NCIS," she responded dryly.

"It's not that," Jimmy replied quickly. "It's just that Tony's my friend and well, he seems happy with you and it's been a while since I've seen him happy. I know that you're busy with the port-to-port killer case not to mention things are kind of rough between you and the rest of Agent Gibbs' team, especially with Agent Gibbs…"

"Is there a point to this, Jimmy?"

"There is, I promise. You two seem good together, that's all. If you stay here in DC, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world; I think that it could work out great for the both of you but just…be careful."

EJ gave him a long searching look before finally saying something. "Thank you, Jimmy. For the record I'm happy with Tony, we work," she said reaffirming what he just said. Jimmy nodded, showing his understanding. He was happy to hear that both Tony and EJ were happy together, he was serious when he told EJ that he thought her relationship with Tony could work. He just hoped that it would be enough to weather the storm that he feared was brewing.

"Okay, so this chapter is a basic overview of the gross anatomy of the eye," Jimmy stated getting back on track and sliding the book over to EJ. "Anything in particular you wanted to focus on?"

"Actually yeah, got anything about the specifics of the iris?" asked EJ once again focused on the port-to-port killer case.


	18. Back In The Day

_Spoilers: 8x22 'Baltimore'_

_Can I just say how much I enjoyed 'Baltimore'? It was awesome and it was great to see the capable, competent, intelligent yet still funny Tony from earlier seasons again. I loved all the little inside jokes there were and now we know the origins or the mighty mouse stapler. Also, Wendy!  
_

* * *

Jimmy sat down wearily at his table in the George Washington University hospital cafeteria and just stared at his food. He was hungry but more importantly he was _tired_, the past two weeks had been incredibly busy and it all seemed to be catching up with Jimmy at that exact moment. The sound of someone sitting down at his table brought Jimmy 's mind back to the present and he looked up, expecting to see a fellow resident he was surprised to find Tony sitting across from him. All Jimmy could do was stare blankly at him.

"Hi…" Jimmy began uncertainly unsure of exactly why Tony would be a GWU's hospital. Should he not be at work? "Just passing through?"

"You could say that," Tony replied looking out the window. "I stopped by EJ's place, left my phone there."

"Okay…so you're heading back to the Navy Yard then?" asked Jimmy, it was the middle of the workday so Jimmy really was not sure why Tony was taking the time to go get his phone from EJ's apartment. When Tony remained silent, Jimmy grew concerned. "Tony, what's going on?"

"The Port-to-Port killer struck again," Tony finally replied.

"What? When? Does Agent Barrett know?" asked Jimmy in a series of rapid-fire questions.

"She doesn't," replied Tony curtly.

"So now what?" asked Jimmy as he got a distinct feeling that Tony was dancing around an issue he was trying to avoid.

"What we always do, find the killer."

"Tony, what's _really_ going on?" asked Jimmy looking at his friend straight in the eye.

"I knew this victim, he was my old partner from Baltimore," Tony finally said, eyes finding the salt and pepper shakers _fascinating_.

Jimmy studied his friend, as with many parts of his past Tony was often tight lipped about his time in the Baltimore Police Department. All Jimmy really knew were the basics; Tony had worked homicide, had been there for two years before he met Gibbs, that the small blue mighty mouse stapler came from Baltimore, and that apparently smiling was involved in getting him hired. He did not how he met Gibbs, did not know if Tony was sad to leave Baltimore, he did not even know his partner's name.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Tony brushed off Jimmy's concern with such practiced ease that if Jimmy did know Tony as well as he did he might actually believe him. "I need to get back, this case won't solve itself," he said standing up. Jimmy stood up as well, his initial hunger and the less than appetizing cafeteria food all but forgotten.

"If you need to talk just call me, doesn't matter what time," Jimmy reminded him. There was no sense in forcing Tony to talk about _anything_ before he was ready, hell would freeze over before that happened.

...

After looking in the evidence garage and Abby's lab Jimmy finally found Tony sitting at his desk and staring intently at his mighty mouse stapler. Seeing that they were alone Jimmy quickly wheeled McGee's chair over to Tony's desk. Tony did not acknowledge Jimmy's presence but Jimmy did not mind, he could wait. McGee was currently helping Abby with…something, Jimmy was not sure what exactly but it involved computers and the two were completely engrossed in it.

"I _liked_ Danny," Tony began quietly. "He may have turned out to be a dirty cop but before I knew that he was a good partner and a nice guy, it hurt a lot to find out that he was taking kickbacks." So his partner's name was Danny, Jimmy filed that piece of information away. Tonight would likely be the only time he would hear _anything_ about Baltimore. "Still, even when I found out that Danny was dirty it didn't make me hate Baltimore, actually I liked it there but I couldn't stay there, not after finding out about Danny. So I left and never looked back, guess that actually turned out for the best," Tony continued chuckling darkly thinking about Wendy, the ring and the payment he never got back for that stupid hall. Jimmy looked at him curiously wondering if there was more to Baltimore than the story of the homicide division and the dirty partner.

"But you kept the stapler," Jimmy pointed out. He had asked Tony about the small blue stapler shortly after they found out that he was not dead, just how did something so ordinary and unconventional end up a cherished possession? Tony's reply was that it was a gift from his major back in Baltimore, so Jimmy reasoned that Tony, at the very least, had some fond memories of the time he spent in the Baltimore homicide division, particularly his interactions with his major.

"I did," Tony confirmed. "Major Frank Raimey was a good major, a good police officer—well, at least I thought he was," he finished bitterly now glaring daggers at the small blue stapler.

"So what are you going to do about the stapler then?" asked Jimmy. The daggers disappeared only to be replaced by a look that was a combination of sadness, weariness and confusion but Tony did not answer him, instead he continued to stare at the mighty mouse stapler as if willing it to give him the answer.


	19. Death Becomes Them

_Spoilers: 2x23 'Twilight'. 8x23 'Swan Song'_

_In the original legend Faust sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for knowledge. In more modern terms a Faustian bargain can be a willingness to trade anything in return for satisfied desires._

_For some reason I can't reply to people's reviews so if I wasn't able to get back to you via PM then know that I'm not ignoring you and I appreciate you taking the time to write me a review._

* * *

Tony hated the rain, nothing good ever happened when it rained, people died when it rained.

He woke up yesterday thinking that it may very well rain and then the weather app on his phone confirmed it. Even though McGee insinuated that app he told Tony to download was a fake but Tony was not so sure, he still believed that it would rain. The rain did not come yesterday but Special Agent Earl Stark was still dead, EJ was right the guy was not human. The skies started out just as clear today as they were yesterday and even EJ joined in the good-natured teasing when he told her to pack an umbrella she reminded him that he told her it would rain yesterday and not a drop fell. A warm café coffee cup was placed into his hands and Tony looked up to see Jimmy staring down at him.

"What a day," the young doctor said with a heavy sigh as he joined Tony on the floor of the evidence garage.

"Shouldn't you be helping Ducky perform the autopsy?" asked Tony as he stared down at warm brown liquid in the coffee cup. Taking a whiff he quirked an eyebrow when he recognized the scent as his favorite tea from the café near the Navy Yard.

"I figured that tonight would be a tea and sympathy type of night," Jimmy said simply in reply to the look on Tony's face. "As for the autopsy, well, it's done now," Jimmy said quietly. Tony looked over at him in surprise, had that much time gone by? A quick glance at his watch confirmed that yes, nearly four hours had gone by since Ducky and Jimmy had shooed everyone but Gibbs out so that the autopsy could be started.

"Have you seen Gibbs?" asked Tony, he was worried about him. Mike Franks was Gibbs' friend, mentor and former boss. At the crime scene, he looked so lost; it was disconcerting.

"Haven't seen him since he left autopsy," answered Jimmy who was currently staring into the depths of his own coffee shop cup. "Is Agent Gibbs going to be alright?" he asked after he finally tore his eyes away from his coffee cup.

"You can call him Gibbs you know, you've been here for almost seven years, think you've earned the right by now," Tony reminded him. "As for Gibbs, he'll be alright…in the long run," he said with more confidence than he felt at the moment, "but right now he'll be focused on killing the bastard that killed Franks, he'll worry about grieving later." The two men lapsed into silence then each lost in their own thoughts. Tony was transported to those awful hours, days and weeks following Kate's death almost six years ago, Tony suspected that if the Devil himself had come to Gibbs the man would have easily made a Faustian bargain if it meant that he would be able to kill Ari. Outside an explosion of bright lightening was followed by thunder loud enough that it could be heard in the evidence garage.

Yes, Tony absolutely hated the rain.


	20. The Shape of Things to Come

_Spoilers: 8x24 'Pyramid'_

_We have once again reached the end of another series, thank you to all who have taken the time to read and review. Also thank you to all you have added this to your alerts and favorites, I hope that you all enjoyed the ride. So I'm actually leaving for Louisiana later on today and assuming that the world still exists when I get back I will definitely answer reviews then (and maybe by then FFN will let me reply to them too). _

_So what were your thoughts on the season finale? What do you think Tony will be doing over the summer? Will he and EJ bump into each other around Washington? Will the writers show us Jimmy's wedding?_

* * *

The return of Gibbs, Vance, Secretary Davenport, Special Agent Barrett and ME assistant Jimmy Palmer was greeted with a huge sigh of relief from the entire NCIS building, especially once it was established that aside from being wetter and bruised the two hostages were none the worse for wear. Tony ushered Jimmy into a quiet corner at the first opportunity.

"You okay?" asked Tony a concerned look on his face, a quick visual inspection confirmed what both Ducky and the EMTs on the scene said, that Jimmy was fine, wet and shaken but ultimately fine.

"…Yeah," Jimmy replied unconvincingly. "I will be," he continued before pulling the blanket around his shoulders closer. Tony nodded at that. Jimmy was right; he would be okay after the shock had worn off. "So…you talk to EJ already?"

No," Tony answered with a slight frown.

"You didn't know did you?" asked Jimmy looking at his friend curiously. At Tony's surprised look, Jimmy just shrugged. "You find out a lot when a serial murderer has you and someone else hostage, particularly just why it's personal for him and Agent Barrett."

"I can't believe she never mentioned that to me," Tony said still frowning. Sure EJ had only been in DC for just under three months but he thought that they might have the possibility to be something more.

"Well, can you blame her?" asked Jimmy. When Tony said nothing Jimmy tried a different tactic. "Do you make a habit of telling people that you come from money?"

"No," Tony replied curtly. He never advertised that fact; even if he never saw much money from his father, he did have a substantial amount from his mother. Angela Paddington Dinozzo had come from a wealthy English family, one that went back centuries and was a member of the British aristocracy. At the beginning of his career as a cop, Tony decided that he would never reveal that he had money if he could help it because he did not want his fellow officers to think that he was just some rich boy playing cops and robbers. He was serious about being a cop that was what he wanted to do forever.

"Exactly, she wanted people to judge her on her merits instead of automatically assuming that she got her assignment and team because of her uncle."

...

"Now that the Port-to-Port Killer case is over what are Agents Cade and Barrett going to do?" asked Jimmy over their takeout. It was late and Jimmy had not been expecting Tony or anyone for that matter but when Jimmy opened up the door, he found Tony standing on the other side with takeout.

"Cade's being reassigned here stateside, at the Bremerton, Washington office," Tony answered as he searched for a soy sauce packet in the takeout bag.

"What about Agent Barrett? Is she forming a new team in Rota then?"

"Actually EJ is giving up Rota, she's taking a leave of absence to figure some things out. Aha!" Tony gave a triumphant cry after he found a soy sauce packet. "She's going to hang around DC though," he added as an afterthought.

"Really? Are you two going to still see each other?" asked Jimmy curiously.

"Well, DC is a small town, we may very well end up bumping into each other," Tony answered.

"So does that mean that she'll be your plus one at my wedding?" asked Jimmy. Tony just gave a mysterious smile in return.


End file.
